Bruce Silverstein Gallery is pleased to announce Marvin E. Newman: The Color Series. This is the first in-depth survey of notable photographer Marvin E. Newman’s color photography.
While studying under Harry Callahan and Aaron Siskind at the Institute of Design (ID), Newman (b. 1927) was regarded as one of the school’s most highly accomplished and active students. His ID thesis, The Series Form in Still Photography, 1952, based on experimentation with form and progression, exhibited his early understanding of the investigational and insightful nature of photography, and foreshadowed his life-long interest in the photographic series. Newman graduated in 1952, earning one of the first Master of Science in Photography degrees in the country.
While a student, Newman also took on numerous commissions from noteworthy clients as well as garnered awards from established institutions such as American Photography and Time Inc. In the late 1940s, Newman joined New York’s influential Photo League, and began his long editorial career shooting for publications such as Sports Illustrated, Life Magazine, Newsweek and Look, among others. Newman’s foray in the editorial world would lead him to his position as National President of the American Society of Media Photographers. In addition to his editorial achievements, Newman’s work also flourished in the art world, including exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art, Roy DeCarava’s Photographer’s Gallery, and the International Center of Photography.
The Color Series, following his 2006 showing of The First Decade at this gallery, will provide a detailed survey of the artist’s shifting subject matter and process throughout his long career. One such overview will be a synopsis of Newman’s recurring Times Square theme, explored in-depth by the artist in the 1950s, and again in the 1980s. Samplings from his varied pursuits of the same subject illustrate his dynamic and evolving approach, as well as his changing relationship to the technology of color itself. In addition to Newman’s pointed Times Square works, this exhibit will also feature images from his pivotal 1970s series on prostitution in Reno, Nevada.
Newman’s investigations in color allowed him to continuously pursue his passion for experimentation both with the technology of photography and his chosen subject matter. Like so many of Newman’s examinations, the use of color in his work was a key element, serving as both the context and character of his images. Given the recent resurgence of interest in experimental color photography from the 1950s, Newman’s early explorations of color, coupled with his deep understanding of light, reaffirms both Newman as well as the Institute of Design’s commitment to progressive technology and approach.
Marvin E. Newman’s work has been exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago, Philadelphia Museum of Art, International Center of Photography, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and is held in numerous public and private collections around the world. The artist continues to work in New York City.